Fur-stretcher.



w. THOR-PE. FUR STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.6, 1913.

1,1 10,016. Patented Sept.,8,1914.

i 'TH GMI. Thor e THE NORRIS PETERS CO..'PHOTO-LITHO WASHINGTON. n c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WILBER THORPE, OF GENEVA, NEW YORK.

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To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Gnonon NILBER THORPE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Geneva, in the county of Ontario and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fur- Stretchers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

leather; and more especially to apparatus for stretching furs and pelts; and the ob ject of the same is to produce a stretcher of this kind which can be made so cheaply that the user can have them in a Variety of sizes adapted to any particular pelt orfur. A further object is to produce a stretcher which is exceedingly simple and therefore not likely to get out of order, and quite cheap so that it is placed within the reach of trappers, furriers, and others who treat skins in this way.

These objects are carried out by constructing the stretcher in the manner described below, and shown in the drawings wherein Figure 1 is a perspective View of this device complete, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation or edge view of the lower end thereof. Figs. 8 and 4: are sectional views on the lines 3-3 of Fig. 1 and &4 of Fig. 2 respectively. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of the latch.

Considerable objection to devices of this character has arisen in the past in that they generally have prongs or spurs which puncture the hide or skin and which, being ordinarily carried by the movable member, strain open the openings or holes they make and stretch the product in strips or tongues when said member is adjusted. This objection I overcome by employing a clamp which does not cut or puncture the hide at all and which grips it completely across its width so that when moved to put tension on the hide the latter is not torn or mutilated and is not stretched into tongues or strips. In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings the fixed member is made of one piece of stiff wire. Beginning at the point 1, I' first bend the wire into a hook 2 standing in-a horizontal plane, then laterally outward in an arm Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 6, 1913.

. Patented Sept. 8, 1914:.

Serial No. 799,545.

3, then straight 'upward in a side bar 4 which is curved inward to form one side 5 of the head of the spring, then the wire is formed into a coil or eye 6, and carried downward on acurved line to form the other side}? of the head, thence the wire passes straight downward'to form the remaining side bar 8, and is turned inward into a second horizontal arm 9 standing in alinement with the first arm 3, and the bend. 10 which embraces the hook 2, and thence the wire is carried straight upward in a central bar 11 and engaged with the eye 6 by a hook 12. Thereby is formed a frame which has three upright bars, 4, 11, and 8, all parallel with each other excepting that the upper ends of the sidebars t and 8 are curved inward at 5 and 7 to produce a head; and as these bars throughout the I inner end of this arm is formed into an ogee This invention relates to hides, skins, and

major portion of their length stand parallel with each other, the movable member or block may slide thereon with ease. It will not be necessary for the purposes of this specification to amplify the. manner in which this member or in fact any part of the device is made.

The movable member has a body-portion consisting of a block 18 preferably of wood having upright grooves 14 at its opposite ends covered with plates 15. which may be screwed to the ends of the blocks as at 16 to close the grooves and thereby form guides for the side bars a and 8; andthe block 13 also has a central guide forthe intermediate bar or arm' 11. In the lower edge of the block a notch 18 is formed, and pivotally mounted on a staple 19 in the block is an eye 2O at the rear end of a latch as seen .in Fig. 5, and this comprises a body consisting of a flat metal plate 21 having a slot 22 of a size to loosely receive the central bar 11. An expansive spring 23 is coiled on this bar between the block and latch and throws the latter downward into biting engagement with the bar so as to resist the upward movement of the block and the entire movable member. But when the tip of the latch is raised by the thumb or finger of the operator, the movable member may be adjusted up and down upon the frame in a manner which will be clear.

A clamp is provided for holding one end of the skin or hide, which latter is usually in the shape of a fur as designated by dotted lines in l igs. l and 2, but it slrin be that of an ordinary tour-legged animal its either end is pas ed over the head of the fltUllGWOl'hT and its other end is engaged with the movable member by means of the clamp, after which this member is adjusted downward along the upright bars of the frame to stretch the skin, and is held in adjusted position by means of the latch. This chmp, as above suggested, does not perforate the Fur or skin at all, and is intended to grip it for its full width; and by preference 1 make the clamp of stout wire as shown. lilach side of the block 13 is grooved transversely as at 30, and coactiug with said groove is a stretch of wire constituting a jaw 31. From each end o'l this stretch the wire passes outward in an arm and thence downward. in a second arm 2323 so as to produce an L-shaped member, and the lower end of this member is turned laterally outward into a iioot 3st which is pivoted in an aperture through an car 35 at the lower end o't one oi? the plates 15. At one side of the stretcher, the foot is then bent u 'uvard into an arm 36, and the corresponding foot of the other clamping member is beat up into a similar arm 37 which at itsiupper end is carried inward into a heel: 38 adapted to engage the first arm 3 when the gripping jaws 31 are pressed closely into the two grooves 30. Thus it will be seen that the clamping members are virtually hinged to the lower edges of the block 13, and their arms 36 and 37 are latched toge her when their jaws are at work; while the block is latched to the central bar ll of the main frame so as to hold it at the proper distance below the head of such frame to stretch the fur or pelt F. The operation of the device will be well understood by those ttamiliar with this art.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A. fur stretcher comprising a skeleton frame having a head at one extremity for engaging one end oi the fur, a movable member consisting of a block slidably mounted on said frame and having grooves across both side faces, clamps hingedly conneeted with the lower corners of the block and having aws registering with. said grooves, and means for holding the jaws in the grooves, for the purpose set forth.

9. A fur stretcher comprising a skeleton frame lmving a head at one extremity for eng ging one end of the fur, a movable member consisting oil a block slidably mounted on said :lrame and l'iaving grooves across both side faces, plates secured to the ends of said block and having perforated ears projecting beyond its side faces at its lower corners, clamping jaws having feet pivotally mounted in the perforations oi said. ea said jaws having gripping portions re istering with said grooves, and

means for rocking the clamps on their pivots to throw the gripping portions of the jaws into such grooves.

A ifur stretcher comprising a skeleton frame having a head one extremity for engaging one end oi. the fur, a movable member consisting of a block slidably mounted on said frame and having grooves across both side faces, plates secured to the ends of said block and having perlv'irated cars projecting beyond its side faces at its lower corners; on one side of the block a clamping member oi" still wire havin a jaw co-acting with said groove, arms at its nds having feet with their lower entre iities pivoted in the perforations or said and one of the feet carried thence upward in an arm; and at the other side of said block a similar clamp whose upwardly extendi' g arm has an inturned hook adapted to engage the arm of the first-named clamp, for the purpose set forth.

A fur stretcher consisting of a frame member made of stint wire comprising three substantially parallel bars connected by cross arms at their lower ends and the side bars bent inward at their upper ends into a head and united by an integral eye with which the upper end of the intermediate bar connects; and a movable member slidably mounted on said frame, a latch for holding it in adjusted position, and clamps on its side faces for engaging the fur.

5. A fur stretcher consisting of a frame member made of still wire comprising three substantially parallel bars connected by cross arms at their lower ends and the side bars bent inward at their upper ends into a head and united by an integral eye with which the upper end of the intermediate bar connects; and a movable member having guides engaging said bars and consisting; of a block notched in its lower edge around the intermediate guide, a latch disposed within said notch and pivotally connected at one end with the block, its body having a. slot loosely engaging said intermediate bar, a spring between the latch and block and throwing said slot into biting engagement with said bar, and clamps mounted on opposite faces of the block for grasping the fur.

6. A fur stretcher consisting oil frame member made of stiff wire comprising three substantially parallel bars connected by cross arms at their lower ends and the side bars bent inward at their upper ends into a head united by an integral eye with which the upper end of the intermediate bar connects; and a movable member consisting of a block having upright grooves in each end and an upright hole through its center, all

forming guides for the bars of said frame, plates secured over said grooves and having bearings, clamps pivotally mounted in said bearings and having aws, means for holding said jaws in forcible contact with the sides of the block for gripping the fur, and a latch carried by the lower edge of the block for holding the same in adjusted position on the intermediate bar of the frame.

7. In a fur stretcher, the combination with a movable member having three parallel guides, and fur-gripping devices carried by this member; of a frame member made of stiff wire bent as follows, to wit: starting with a hook standing in a horizontal plane, thence extending horizontally in an arm, thence carried vertically upward in a straight side bar and bent inward, thence formed into a central eye, then bent outward and downward and carried thence straight downward into an opposite side bar, thence carried straight inward in a second arm in alinement with the first, thence formed into an ogee curve engaging said hook, thence carried straight upward in an intermediate bar arallel with the two side bars, and final y formed into a hook engaging said eye.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE WILBER THORPE.

Witnesses:

PATSY MARUooIA, WILSON H. WADSWORTH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G, 

